Monday, April 8, 2019
Examine Shakespeares presentation Essay Example for Free
Examine Shakespeargons presentation EssayWhen small town was first performed in 1601, England had been successfully ruled for forty-three long time by Elizabeth I, a strong and potent monarch who reigned without a male counterpart, establishing England as one of the well-nigh powerful and prominent countries in the world. This is demonstration that women can be as successful as men however women were still seen as siemens class citizens, and property of their saves, during the Elizabethan period. Polonius says of Ophelia I pull in a daughter have while she is mine. (2.2, line of work 106).This is reflected in Shakespeargons portrayal of women in Hamlet, which shows Gertrude in a very different light to Elizabeth Tudor. For many years in the past, many women played a small role socially, economically and politically. As a ensue of this, many works of literature of this time, including Hamlet, were reflective of this diminutive role of women. Shakespeargon suggests the danger of womens involvement in administration at the sovereign level, and reflects the publics desire for a return to a state of stability through a change to a patriarchal system.We can examine Shakespe ares presentation of women in Hamlet through the delegacy the two women in the play, Gertrude and Ophelia, are figure out outed by the men in their lives, and by analyzing the context in which they are referred. The first time Claudius refers to Gertrude he says Our sometime sister, forthwith our Queen, Th imperial jointress of this warlike state, (1. 2, lines 8-9) which shows how he took advantage of his dead brothers wife whilst she was still mourning her husbands death to settle his place on the throne. She married.O most wicked speed, to post, with such dexterity to incestuous sheets. (1.2, lines 156-157) Here Hamlet is accusing his mother of depravation because of her improper familiar activity and marriage. Even though a marital bond existed between Claudius and Gertru de, the step on it and incestuous aspects of the marriage enrage Hamlet. The couple were married less than three months by and by the death of Hamlets father, and in Hamlets eyes, Gertrudes actions have defiled her character. Royal sexual activity created concerns about both power and purity in the Elizabethan world. As women had no opportunity to fight on the battle field, chastity was the principle metre of their honour and virtue.Therefore Hamlets opinion of his mother has a negative reflection of a muliebritys virtues. Sir Walter Mildway, 1510, said discern thy wife for virtue merely. Elizabeths sexual conduct drew public attention, and she publicly vowed her purity, even adopting the title stark(a) Queen. When King Hamlets ghost appears he refers to Gertrude as his most seeming-virtuous Queen. (1. 5, lines 4-6) He is expressing his belief that Gertrude had always seemed faithful, but now she has married much less of a man she has dishonoured him, and lost all his resp ect and trust.Even though Hamlet and his father are seeking revenge on Claudius, they continue to speak of Gertrude. In his irregular soliloquy we expect Hamlet to be expressing his hatred towards Claudius, however he is focusing all of his qualification on this most pernicious char, (1. 5, line 105) who is his mother. This dis-belief at his mothers behaviour is understandable, however, as it is so soon after his fathers death, and you would expect Gertrude to still be mourning the death of her husband that she apparently get it ond dearly. One of the most famous quotes regarding women in Hamlet is frailness thy name is woman. (1. 2, lines 146-147) This quote sums up the attitudes of the male characters in the play, that women are by far the weaker sex and gives us a clue as to why the men treat Gertrude and Ophelia with so little respect. In 1558, writer, John Knox described women as weak, frail, impatient, feeble and foolish. Emphasizing the way that women were viewed at th e time Hamlet was written. Both the women are greatly controlled by the men of the play, particularly Ophelia who is frequently told what to do and who has been treated as if she does non have a mind of her own all her life.When asked a motion Ophelia often replies with I think nonhing, (3. 2, line 118) and when she does express an opinion it is dismissed. Polonius says Affection? Pooh, you speak like a green girl unsifted, (1. 3, line 101) which is highly patronizing, saying she speaks like an inexperienced and untried girl who does not know what she is talking about. Ophelia could have an out-going personality however, she is so oppressed that we never get to see a true reflection of her character, due to the constraints of the society she is living in.We even hear Gertrude, the Queen of Denmark, saying to her husband I shall obey you. By obeying the men and big(a) in to a passive existence Gertrude and Ophelia are living up to the label that women are the weaker sex. The me n give wide advice to both women, telling them what to do and when, Polonius tells Ophelia not to give her virginity away too easily when he uses the metaphor set you entreatments at a higher rate then a command to parley, (1. 3, lines 122-123) where her virginity is compared to a castle under siege.Even though Polonius is Ophelias father, he seems to have no respect for her, or her privacy, and rarely thinks of how she whitethorn be feeling. He reads Hamlets love letters out-loud to the King and uses Ophelia as bait to improve his image in front of Claudius, which is extremely egocentric and obsequious. Another quote that really stands out in Hamlet that shows how little respect the men have for Gertrude and Ophelia is Get thee to a nunnery. (3. 1, line 121) This is Hamlet telling Ophelia that because he can not have her, no one can, so she has to go to a nunnery, away from all other male contact.He does not ask her how she feels, and is willing to make the rest of her life mise rable simply because he can not be with her. It never even occurs to Hamlet that she might be willing to move on and chance on someone other than him to spend the rest of her life with. After the nunnery scene, Ophelia speaks to Polonius and we hear her opinion for the first and only time. She presents herself entirely as the victim of Hamlets rough treatment.She says I of ladies most deject and wretched, that sucked the honey of his musiked vows, (3.1, lines 158-159) showing how Ophelia had believed in what Hamlet told her and how she feels dejected about the fact that he claims to have never loved her. God has presumption you one face, and you make yourselves another, (3. 1, lines 145-146) is Hamlet saying that women wear too much make-up and in doing so are deceiving men into thinking that they are something that they are not. He accuses Ophelia of being a typical woman and is therefore not treating her as an individual.He says For the power of beauty will sooner transform rea lity from what it is bawd, (3.1, lines 111-112) explaining his opinion that beautiful women are untrustworthy and insincere. Even though Hamlet accuses women of this, he is saying it in the heat of an argument so he may be exaggerating and may not be giving his true opinion. Ophelia hardly says a think back to him though, again reflecting the idea that women are frail and passive. passim the play Hamlet makes reference to prostitutes, and seems to make a confederation between women, sex and corruption. When Hamlet and Polonius are speaking he says For if the sun breed maggots in a dead dog, being a good kissing carrion. (2. 2, lines 184-185) He uses this metaphor of a dead dog, and a pun on the word sun, to make the point that if the son (Hamlet) kisses the daughter (Ophelia) then she may breed, like the maggots in the dead animal. The characters of the play often refer to sex in a negative manner, and it is never described as a kind act between a couple. In Hamlets second solilo quy he is blaming himself, and compares himself to a slatternly woman saying that he must like a whore, unpack my heart with words, and fall a-cursing like a very drab, a stallion. (2.2, lines 592-594) His references to women are always negative, and he presents them as objects that men can use for sexual pleasure whenever they want.The final point to make about the way Shakespeare presents women is the fact that Ophelia is the only character dictated to suicide, and that she is one of only two women in the play. This is possible another way for Shakespeare to make his point that women are by far the weaker sex. Audiences today would find the way that the women in Hamlet are treated extremely surprising as today women are so much more independent.Instead of being a husbands possession, a wife is seen as an equal. Women today have the freedom to be more open-minded, and are allowed to instance opinions other than their husbands. Women today have almost total sexual freedom as well , so the connection between women, sex and corruption would probably cause mixed reactions. This, however, also brings me to the point that even though Shakespeares presentation of women is negative, so is his presentation of men.He shows the men being insensitive, selfish, oppressive and shows them treating women with very little respect. Frailty thy name is woman, no longer applies to the women of the 21st Century as there are more or less equal opportunities for men and women now, and everyone has the same education and job opportunities no matter what sex you may be. I think that this quote sums up Shakespeares overall presentation of women and the treatment of Gertrude and Ophelia shows us how women were oppressed, and often seen as objects rather than human beings.
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